Re: label syntax: root (LABEL=/boot)

[Paul Bolle]

On Tue, 2004-02-24 at 13:15, address@hidden wrote:
> Paul Bolle wrote:
> > It looks like I've managed to write a patch to GNU grub which makes grub
> > accept "label syntax" (e.g. "LABEL=/boot") as the argument to the root
> > command. With this patch one can use not only e.g. "root (hd0,2)" but
> > also e.g. "root (LABEL=/boot)". In short: a second "naming convention"
> > for the root command.
> 
> Interesting, tough I do think initrd is the best place for it.
> grub should deal with BIOS disks, initrd should deal with
> usb/network/labels/higher level stuff.
> 
> Can you send me the patch?

Of course, but I'm still working on it.

In the last few days I did manage to get "label syntax" working for all
commands (at least all commands I tested!). Right now I'm working on
"completions" (think: "(LABEL=/bo" completed to "(LABEL=/boot)" on the
grub command line). That is not really important, but I decided to give
completion a try anyhow.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean to say with your reference to
initrd. However, it should be noted that in my patch I simply try to
translate "label syntax" to the grub "naming convention" right away. So
you could think of my patch as just a "wrapper". So in short:
1) grub is given a device in label syntax;
2) grub loops through all disk partitions looking for a matching label;
3) if a match is found, grub will use that device, but (so to speak)
still in it's native naming convention.

To give you an idea, here's an example (using the root command):
grub> root (label=shrike/boot)
 Filesystem is ext2fs, type 0x83 (LABEL=shrike/boot)

grub> root
 (hd0,3): Filesystem is ext2fs, type 0x83 (LABEL=shrike/boot)

Maybe not too elegant, but it does seem to work. I would like to hear
suggestions for a better approach ...

I'll try to send you my patch (in a private mail) in the next few days.
Maybe looking at my patch makes it easier to see what I'm trying to
accomplish.

By the way, I haven't yet "ported" it to grub 0.94. I hope to do that
soon ... Unless you rather receive a patch to grub 0.94, but then I'm
afraid you have to be more patient.

Kind regards,


Paul